I read somewhere a while back that Ohio is the only place where you can get sunburnt and frostbit all in the same day. This weather has been crazy! Warmer days are ahead, and the smell of campfire and barbecue’s might even be on your agenda for this weekend. Whatever you are doing to celebrate the awesome weather Mother Nature is providing, take pictures and send them to us so you can be featured in the newsletter! We love seeing what employees do in their downtime away from work. We want to brag on you and showcase you and your families!
April is almost over, but it is National Volunteer Month. Ronald McDonald House Charities (RMHC) has plenty of opportunities in both Ohio and Kentucky, and they would LOVE your help! Use it as a team building activity, manager outing or family event. Whatever you choose, it will be time well vested.
Finally, are you going on summer vacation? Do you have a hobby that you want someone to know about? What’s something you want everyone to know about you? We want to feature you in our McNuggets of Wisdom section.
Please reach out to Lindsay or myself, and we will come and interview you!
Enjoy the wonderful days of summer ahead, and we will be waiting for those pictures!
Get out and slay the day- YOU are WORTH IT!
Cindy Frantz
Recruitment/Community Relations
WHAT’S NEW AT SFM!
Olivia Virtual Assistant
Our new Virtual Assistant, Olivia is up and running! This is how we will stay in touch with our employees through milestone communications, like birthdays and anniversaries, as well as touchpoints for new employees! Managers, please be sure to check your notifications and respond to your employees accordingly!
NEW! Orientation
Our new Orientation is done for our Ohio peeps! If you haven’t gotten the link to download the video, or if you have any questions or concerns, reach out to Jo or Lindsay!
New Intern: Rebekah
We have a new intern starting in May! Bekah is a junior at Upper Valley Career Center and she will be standing in for Lindsay and Nikki when they go on maternity leave this summer/fall. You’ll probably be seeing a lot of her in stores & at events with Cindy, so please make her feel welcome!
REMINDERS!
OHIO – Remember to send photos of your graduating seniors to Lindsay before May 17th! (the sooner, the better!)
KENTUCKY – Please take photos of your people anytime they are getting promoted or celebrated in your stores! We like to fill our Facebook page up
with these! Send to Taylor or Lindsay – or share in GroupMe!
Amanda is our Office Manager in Kentucky, and she told us how she likes to spend her summer vacations with her family!
Where is your favorite vacation spot?
Brevard, NC aka North Carolina’s Land of Waterfalls. It is a quiet little town nestled in the Pisgah National Forest of the Smoky Mountains which has the BEST trails for hiking and MTB riding (my husband loves to mountain bike). Very low key…which is what I enjoy rather than the busyness of other popular vacation spots. It is also known for white squirrels, but they’re not albino.
Do you have any big vacation plans this year?
We probably will not be taking any “real” vacations this year mostly because of my health journey and the time I will need to be at home for that, but my family and I are always ready for a vacation somewhere! Last year we went to Marquette, MI and had the best time! My family and I would like to go back there soon!
Tell us a little bit about your children!
I have 18 year old fraternal twin boys named Isaac and Isaiah. They are getting ready to graduate High School and have not yet decided what exactly they want to do going forward, but that is ok with me! They are both musically gifted. They both play guitar, Isaac plays piano and drums as well. They even have a band. I also have a 12 year old daughter name Josephine (goes by Josie). She is my free spirited child that marches to the beat of her own drum in life! She enjoys dancing and has taken ballet. She is currently taking a contemporary dance class.
How will you and your family celebrate Mother’s Day this year?
We will probably celebrate the same as usual with a cook out and just spending time together. I enjoy simplicity!
This year, we are really zoning in and focusing on Digital Hospitality in our stores. This includes educating our customers on how to successfully use the McDonald’s App and how to turn digitial transactions into personalized interactions. So, how can we better develop our skills in this department?
The first and most important piece is how we view our customers. As Ariel talked about in her presentaiton at our latest Company Meeting, we need to shift our mindset when it comes to our customers. If we can focus on viewing them as guests in our own home rather than a customer in a store, our entire attitude towards them will change. When a guest comes into your home, you want them to feel welcome. You ask them if they need anything, get them a glass of water, make them feel comfortable and like you want them there… right? This is exactly how we should be treating every single customer that walks through the door at each of your stores! Even if they are in your store for a digital transaction, we need to go out of our way to still make them feel welcome.
How can we accomplish this? Take it back to our SFM Values. Be authentic when interacting with our guests. Make sure that you are being genuine and sincere when you are talking to them. Do not treat our guests like they are annoying or disrupting your day. We are here to serve them!
Now, we have all dealt with the unpleasant and unhappy customer. No one likes to get yelled at, and it might be difficult to keep your cool when someone is yelling at you over a minor mistake. This is when you should refer back to the BLAST method that we taught you on Day 1 of your training!
Believe – Complainging about your food can be really uncomfortable, don’t make it worse by making the guest feel like you think they’re being dishonest. Trust that they are telling you the truth.
Listen – A lot of time, people just want to know that they are being heard and that you undestand that they are frustrated.
Apologize – We can solve a problem without apologizing, but we need our guests to know that we are sorry. Like with any important relationship, when you mess up, you apologize.
Solve – Go above and beyond to fix the issue and make sure the guest gets what they need plus that little extra for the WOW!
Thank the Guest – Thank the guest for being willing to come back and make themselves uncomfortable. They are giving us a second chance that they did not have to give us. They are allowing us to improve and giving them one more shot at WOWing them!
Benefits You’re Missing out on!
If you aren’t using our McDPerks… tell me why!? This is such a cool perk offered to ALL employees at SFM! Log into your McDPerks account with your EID or the email address you applied to SFM with, and you’re in! With Mother’s Day right around the corner, get a discount on flowers and other gifts for mom. Get discounts on your phone bill, grocery coupons, electronics, streaming services and home delivery meal kits. Save money on experiences – like Disney World tickets, movie tickets, car rentals, hotels and much more! The possibilities are endless! I got a Sam’s Club membership through McDPerks for just $19.99! That’s $30 in savings!
April is National Volunteer Month, but any month is a good one to get out do some good! We have such a great organization right in our back pockets when it comes to volunteering – The Ronald McDonald House! Get your team together for a team building activity, or just go on your own time. The RMHC has plenty of opportunities for you, such as House Beautification, the Hot Meal Program, Facility and House Maintenence, and other activities with the guests! You can even take a small group of employees and just simply request a tour of the house. It’ll do your team some good to learn about the impact the house has on your communities – and actually see it unfold in front of your eyes!
There are a ton of other non-profits, food banks, shelters, farms and much more that exist in your communities for you to volunteer at if you wish! The Bethany Center in Piqua, Ohio is one great option. It is a food bank, mens shelter, clothing bank, soup kitchen, and provides much more to Miami County! Cindy spends some of her Sundays volunteering at FISH, a non-profit thrift store and food bank in Shelby County! Stacy and Benny are huge supporters of The Salvation Army and United Way – who are also always in need of support!
So get out there and volunteer! Help support your communities! If you want to arrange a team outing, get in touch with Cindy or Lindsay and they can help!
Perfect Attendance Winners!
February
Stacy Morris – Sidney
Asia Wilson – Troy
Jamey Begley – MW
Abby Evans – Piqua West
Kianna Matthews – Towne
Gaya Raut – Col Glenn
Adalyn Hartsock – GVN
Payton Stachler – GVS
Deborah Hodges – Brandt
Ellie Bowser – Tipp City
Carl Arehart – BFS
Kiliana Heath – BFN
Mia Romine – Broad St.
David Meno – Kauffman
Alexis Lee – Piqua East
March
Cody Webb – Troy
Rishi Ahir – MW
Michael Doseck – Piqua West
Nick Litton – Towne
Layla Riddel – Col Glenn
Travis Mills – GVN
Tyler Watson – GVS
George Glanton – Brandt
Paul Leos – Tipp City
Kevin Sechrest – BFS
Josh Ritter – BFN
Tabitha Bump – Broad St.
Zoe Sturgill – Kauffman
Deeanna Archer – Piqua East
Matt and Bobby Ostendorf-Kloeker are two happily married managers at SFM and they are wine makers!
A relative of the family has been making wine for years now and would bring this wine to family functions. Matt & Bobby are big wine lovers, so they thought it would be a fun hobby to get into – so they did!
They’ve been making wine together for 2 years now! The process is very scientific and requires some patience as it takes weeks to get the delightful final product. After mixing all of the ingredients together, it has to ferment for 2 to 3 weeks. Then, the clearing process starts. Matt says they typically filter the wine 2 times before bottling to make sure all of the sediment is out and you get a nice, crisp and clear bottle of wine!
They are hoping to find the perfect location in the next few years so that they can build a great big orchard in their backyard and start making wine to sell! They are unable to sell any wine until they get this dream location, but if you are nice to them, I’m sure they would gift you a bottle!
Send us the cool things you do outside of work to be featured in our next newsletter!
No- Bake Energy Balls
Who needs a super easy and healthy snack recipe? These No Bake Energy Bites come in 10 different flavors so you’ll never get bored. You can whip up a batch of these in just minutes. Thebest part? Make the base of the ball &then add whichever flavor you’d like!
Ingredients (The Base):
1 cup rolled oats
1/4 cup ground flax or chia seeds
1/2 cup peanut butter or nut/seed butter of choice
1/3 cup maple syrup or honey
1 tsp vanilla
Pinch of salt
Directions:
1. Add the rolled oats, ground flax or chia seed to a medium sized mixing bowl. If you’re making one of the flavors besides the base recipe, add any spices, at this time.
2. Add the nut butter, maple syrup or honey, vanilla, and pinch of salt. Stir to combine thoroughly.
3. From here you can portion out the 5-ingredient version, or choose a flavor and add the ingredients listed mixing well.
4. Use a cookie scoop or tablespoons to portion these out. The different flavors vary slightly, but you will generally have 18-22. A cookie scoop for 1 tablespoon will yield about 36 bites.
Monster Cookie:
1/2 cup M&M’s
No Bake Cookie:
Use almond butter for the base recipe
3 tbsp cocoa powder
1/4 cup mini chocolate chips
1 tsp vanilla extract – in addition to the base recipe
Blueberry Muffin:
Use almond or cashew butter for the base recipe
1/2 cup fruit juice sweetened dried blueberries
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp lemon zest
1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
Strawberry:
Use almond or cashew butter for the base recipe
3/4 cup freeze dried strawberries, lightly crushed
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
1/8 tsp almost extract
Apple Pie:
Use almond or cashew butter for the base recipe
3/4 cup freeze dried apples, or chopped dried apples
2 tsp cinnamom
Pinch of nutmeg
1 tbspn fresh lemon juice
Cinnamon Roll:
Use almond or cashew butter for the base recipe
1 tbsp ground cinnamon
1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
1/2 cup raisins or finely chopped pecans
Cherry Pie:
Use almond or cashew butter for the base recipe
1/2 cup dried tart cherries, chopped
1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
2 tsp fresh lemon juice
1/8 tsp almond extract
Cake Batter:
Use almond or cashew butter for the base recipe
2 scoops (6 tbsp) vanilla collagen or plant based protein
8 tsp sprinkles
1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
Chocolate Chip Cookie:
Use almond or cashew butter for the base recipe
1/2 cup mini chocolate chips
1/4 cup finely chopped nuts (optional)
1 tsp vanilla extract – in addition to the base recipe
No-Bake Energy Balls
Who needs a super easy and healthy snack recipe? These No Bake Energy Bites come in 10 different flavors so you’ll never get bored. You can whip up a batch of these in just minutes. Thebest part? Make the base of the ball &then add whichever flavor you’d like!
Ingredients (The Base):
1 cup rolled oats
1/4 cup ground flax or chia seeds
1/2 cup peanut butter or nut/seed butter of choice
1/3 cup maple syrup or honey
1 tsp vanilla
Pinch of salt
Directions:
1. Add the rolled oats, ground flax or chia seed to a medium sized mixing bowl. If you’re making one of the flavors besides the base recipe, add any spices, at this time.
2. Add the nut butter, maple syrup or honey, vanilla, and pinch of salt. Stir to combine thoroughly.
3. From here you can portion out the 5-ingredient version, or choose a flavor and add the ingredients listed mixing well.
4. Use a cookie scoop or tablespoons to portion these out. The different flavors vary slightly, but you will generally have 18-22. A cookie scoop for 1 tablespoon will yield about 36 bites.
Monster Cookie:
1/2 cup M&M’s
No Bake Cookie:
Use almond butter for the base recipe
3 tbsp cocoa powder
1/4 cup mini chocolate chips
1 tsp vanilla extract – in addition to the base recipe
Blueberry Muffin:
Use almond or cashew butter for the base recipe
1/2 cup fruit juice sweetened dried blueberries
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp lemon zest
1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
Strawberry:
Use almond or cashew butter for the base recipe
3/4 cup freeze dried strawberries, lightly crushed
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
1/8 tsp almost extract
Apple Pie:
Use almond or cashew butter for the base recipe
3/4 cup freeze dried apples, or chopped dried apples
2 tsp cinnamom
Pinch of nutmeg
1 tbspn fresh lemon juice
Cinnamon Roll:
Use almond or cashew butter for the base recipe
1 tbsp ground cinnamon
1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
1/2 cup raisins or finely chopped pecans
Cherry Pie:
Use almond or cashew butter for the base recipe
1/2 cup dried tart cherries, chopped
1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
2 tsp fresh lemon juice
1/8 tsp almond extract
Cake Batter:
Use almond or cashew butter for the base recipe
2 scoops (6 tbsp) vanilla collagen or plant based protein
8 tsp sprinkles
1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
Chocolate Chip Cookie:
Use almond or cashew butter for the base recipe
1/2 cup mini chocolate chips
1/4 cup finely chopped nuts (optional)
1 tsp vanilla extract – in addition to the base recipe
Nancy Dillon Retires!
Our wonderful GM of the Morehead store, Nancy Dillon has retired! Nancy began working for McDonald’s on April 16, 1984 – that’s 39 years!!
Nancy started working at McDonald’s at our Morehead location, but has also worked in Owingsville and our (now closed) Chevron store, where she became a General Manager. She then transferred back to Morehead where she finished out her career with us!
Nancy has made great strides for her employees and all of us here at SFM, and we truly appreciate all her years of dedication. Nancy plans to spend her retirement traveling the country and spending lots of quality time with her grandchildren! We are sad to see you go, Nancy but we are so very happy for you! Happy Retirement!
Congratulations to Daisha Archer for her promotion
to General Manager of our Towne Centre Store!
Congratulations to Francis Mynhier for her promotion to
General Manager of our Morehead 2 store!
Congratulations to our Ray Kroc Winners! Nicole Taylor & Kyle Elifritz
Benny Scott is celebrating 30 years with SFM this year! Beth Garber is celebrating 25 years with SFM, and Lori Terril has been with us for 20 years!
Patti Saylor is celebrating 15 years with SFM!
Oreo Frappe
The popular Oreo Frappe is back in stores through August!
Coming Up
$1.79 Frozen Beverages
Starting May 1st! Customers can enjoy a Sprite Lymonade, Fanta Blue Raspberry, and a Coca Cola Classic!
NEW! Bacon Cajun Ranch McCrispy
We’ve got some new spicy sandwiches coming in hot! The Bacon Cajun Ranch McCrispy and Bacon Cajun Ranch Deluxe McCrispy! All stores selling now!
Are you Ready to Further your Education?
Archways to Opportunities gives you all of the resources you need to begin or continue your college education!
Archways To Opportunity
McDonald’s and its independent franchisees are committed to helping employees further their education and achieve their dreams.
To help individuals who work at a company-owned or independently franchised restaurant, we created Archways to Opportunity, a comprehensive education strategy with multiple programs that give people an opportunity to grow and learn – no matter where they are on their journey.
How do I earn my High School Diploma?
You can graduate from high school by taking classes online – whenever and wherever it’s convenient for you – through Career Online High School. And, you may be able to apply credits from high school courses you’ve already completed.
How do I choose an affordable path to college?
If you are ready to get started working toward your college degree, Archways to Opportunity® offers programs to help make your goals a reality – in a way that fits your lifestyle.
Our programs can help you explore educational opportunities while getting financial support to make your educational journey easier.
How do I figure out the right path for me?
Figuring out the next step in your education and career journey may feel like a lot. Bright Horizons EdAssist Solutions has Success Coaches who are available to help you identify your education needs, review your career goals and develop a plan for the future. Your coach will continue to support you throughout your experience to ensure that you successfully achieve your goals and complete your program.
How do I improve my English?
We want you to feel confident in all that you do. If you are bilingual, this includes being comfortable talking in English. Whether you are speaking to customers or staff, your voice should be heard. English Under the Arches® can help.
With the support of English Under the Arches, you can improve your English speaking, listening, reading and writing skills.
How do I earn my degree for free through CTU?
The Commitment Grant, along with maximizing Archways to Opportunity tuition assistance, covers 100% of eligible students’ online tuition, including eBooks and student fees, at CTU helping you to pursue your educational goals without the need for student loans.
Eligible students may utilize the Commitment Grant towards any Associate or Bachelor’s degree program offered at CTU.
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